East Kazakhstan opens upgraded road and new trekking route

East Kazakhstan has improved the road to one of its long-standing mountain attractions and added a fresh trekking route, as part of broader spending on nature and adventure tourism. Authorities opened a repaired 13-kilometre stretch of highway heading to Rakhmanov Springs on 4 October 2026. Before the work, motorists sometimes took up to three hours to cross the unpaved mountain section. The new surface also includes stopping points with views of the mountains.

Rakhmanov Springs lies next to Rakhmanov Lake and is known for naturally warm waters that contain radon. The area around it has paths for walking, waterfalls and mountain scenery. It sits in or near a large protected park of over 643,000 hectares, located close to where Kazakhstan meets Russia and China.

In September 2026, the park launched the Altai Trails route, which begins close to Rakhmanov Springs and runs through the Sarsembay tract towards the base of Muztau, also called Mount Belukha. That summit, the tallest in the Altai range at about 4,506 metres, usually requires an eight-to-ten-day journey on horseback overland. Official figures put last year's visitor count for the wider region at roughly 446,000, with over 26,000 of those entering the national park.

What it means for travellers from India

• Distances between attractions can run from 400 to 500 kilometres, so trips need careful scheduling and possibly additional days.
• Some mountain routes require special vehicles and experienced guides, and weather plus mountain driving conditions stay significant all year.
• Shorter programmes of three to five days now cover rivers, waterfalls, lakes and rural villages, along with cultural stops such as the Berel museum reserve, apiaries and deer farms.
• A new airport is due to be finished by the close of 2026, which could make arrival easier once it opens.